Intonation
主讲教师, 荆州职业技术学院人文艺术系
朱瀚 Doherty
Answer questions,
? 1,-Are you a student?
-Yes,I am,
? 2,-Kate!
-Yes?
1,Definition of tone
Tones are pitch variations,which are
caused by the differing rates of vibration
of the vocal cords,
声调是由于声带振动的速率的不同而引起的
音高变化。
Tone can be divided into
the following 2 kinds,
? 1) level tone
? 2) moving tone
Moving tone can be
divided into the following
3 kinds,
1)Rising tone
2)Falling tone
3)Falling-rising tone
Language can generally
be divided into the
following 2 kinds,
1)Tone language
2)Intonation language
Chinese tones,
mā má mǎ mà
妈 麻 马 骂
English tones,
? Are you a student? ↗
? I am a teacher,↘
? Would you like a cup of tea,or a cup of
coffee? ↗ ↘
2,Definition of intonation
When pitch,stress and sound length
are tied to the sentence rather than the
word in isolation,they are collectively
known as intonation,
句子中除了孤立的单词之外，还被附加
了音高、重音和音长等因素，所有这些东
西统称为语调。
Part Ⅱ
Functions of
Intonation
1,Falling tone is used in the
following types of sentences,
? 1) Ordinary statements
a,She’s a very good actress,↘
b,He was here a moment ago,↘
c,This is John,He’s from America,↘
? 2) WH questions (special questions),
a,What did you think of the show? ↘
b,Which is your favourite subject? ↘
c,你拿的什么啊? ↘
d,你在干什么? (普通话 )
你干啥玩意儿? (东北话 ) ↘
你在搞么子? (沙市话 ) ↘
? 3) Imperative sentences
(strong commands)
a,Stand up! ↘
b,Be quiet! ↘
c,Out! ↘
? 4) Exclamatory sentences
a,What a beautiful day! ↘
b,How nice of him! ↘
c,Wow! What a beautiful girl over there!
↘
? 5) The final part of the alternative
questions,
a,Is she American(↗ ) or British? ↘
b,Which is yours(↘ ),the blue one(↗ ) or the
red one? ↘
c,How shall we go? (↘ ) By bus(↗ ),by
train(↗ ) or by plane? ↘
※ Both/All parts of the alternative questions
use falling tone in special situation,
e.g,你去还是不去？
? 6) The former part of the disjunctive questions,
a,He was there (↘ ),wasn’t he?
b,You didn’t go (↘ ),did you?
※ The falling tone is also used in the latter part
of the disjunctive questions when the speaker
is pretty confident that his listener will not
contradict,
a,The weather is fine,isn’t it? ↘
b,I was right,wasn’t I? ↘
? 7) Rhetorical questions,
These are questions which need not be
answered,since the answer is obvious,They
are like exclamations and often sound
impatient,
a,Are you satisfied? ↘ (You ought to be!)
b,Do you understand it now? ↘
(You ought to understand it now!)
c,Well,can I have the newspaper? ↘
(Give me the newspaper!)
? 8) When showing strong feeling or irony,
we use high-pitch falling tone,
a,What’s the matter? ↘
b,啊，他（ ↘ ）呀，够神气啊！
c,才毕业两年啊？真了不起！ ↘
? 9) Short questions used as responses,
a,– John’s on holiday,
– Is he? ↘
b,– I went to the theatre last night,
– Did you? ↘
2,Rising tone is used in the
following types of sentences,
? 1) Yes – no questions (general questions)
showing great doubt or uncertainty,
a,Are you quite sure? ↗
b,Did you notice anything wrong with it?
↗
c,Has my book been found? ↗
d,Have you met my sister before? ↗
? 2) Complete statements which are
intended as questions,
a,You like it? ↗
b,He’s definitely going? ↗
c,I must arrive there before seven? ↗
d,我真得把这吃完? ↗
? ３ ) The preceding alternatives in
alternative questions,
a,Was he from England(↗ ) or from
France?
b,Do you study French (↗ ) or German
(↗ ) or Russian?
c,你去丹麦 (↗ ),荷兰 (↗ )还是瑞士？
? ４ ) Tag questions of some disjunctive
questions,
a,You can swim,can’t you? ↗
b,You didn’t see him,did you? ↗
c,One of Jack’s friends is a bus driver,
isn’t he? ↗
? 5) Implication,
a,You will travel with Jack? ↗
b,听说陈文明当上市长了? ↗
? 6) Repetition - questions,
When you want the other person to repeat
some information,use the rising tone (usually
low) with the interrogative word as the nucleus,
a,– Pass me the newspaper,
– What did you say?↗
b,– Jane told me to do it,
– Who told you to do it? ↗
c,– John is fifty – two,
– What? How old did you say he was? ↗
? 7) Incomplete groups or enumerations,
a,I found the key(↗ ) and opened the
door,
b,He sat down by my side (↗ ),took
out a small piece of bread (↗ ) and
gave it to me,
c,I like football(↗ ),basketball(↗ ),
swimming(↗ ) and skating,
d,One(↗ ),two(↗ ),three(↗ ),four(↗ ),five,
? 8) Adverbials at the beginning of
sentences,
a,A moment later(↗ ),Newton came in,
b,When I arrived(↗ ),there was
nobody at home,
c,While we’re waiting(↗ ),let’s go and
have some thing to eat,
? 9) Polite requests,
a,Move along,please,↗
b,Do come again,↗
c,Take a seat,↗
※ An imperative sentence becomes a request
if the rising tone is used,
a,Open the window(↘ ),(command)
Open the window(↗ ),(request)
b,Come and get it,(↘ ),(command)
Come and get it,(↗ ),(request)
? 10) Tag questions after commands (in
fact a form of invitation),
a,Come over here,will you? ↗
b,Hold this for me,would you? ↗
c,Let’s go for a walk,shall we? ↗
? 11) Some statements which are intended
to be soothing or encouraging,
a,I won’t drive too fast,↗
(so don’t worry)
b,I’ll be ready in a minute,↗
c,– It’s going to be painful,isn’t it?
– No,I shan’t hurt you,↗
? 12) Some special questions which sound
more friendly and concerned,
a,When did you get back from holiday?
↗
b,What is your name? ↗
c,What’s the matter? ↗
3,Falling-rising tone is used
in the following types of
sentences,
? 1) Statements when contrast is implied,
a,On weekdays(↘ ↗ ) I work,but on
Sundays(↘ ↗ ) I don’t,
b,He(↘ ↗ ) doesn’t want it,But his
brother(↘ ↗ ) may,
? 2) Statements which imply reservation,
a,– I’d like to have a try,
– You ought to try(↘ ↗ ) (even if you are
not sure to succeed..)
b,– Can you play chess?
– Once(↘ ↗ ) I could,(But I haven’t
played for ages.)
? 3) Statements which show disagreement
or contradiction or correction of what
someone else has said,
a,– I can’t do it,
– You can(↘ ↗ ),
b,– Your method is useless,
– Mine(↘ ↗ ) may be,
? 4) Warnings,
a,You’ll miss your train,↘ ↗
b,Careful with that glass,↘ ↗
(You’ll drop it.)
? 5) This tone may be used to express
apology,
a,– Is Jane in?
– I’m sorry (↘ ↗ ),but she’s out,
b,– We’ve just had a group discussion,
– I’m sorry(↘ ↗ ) I was absent,
? 6) Hesitation,
a,– How do you like it?
– It is good(↘ ↗ ),
b,– Is Mr,Zhu handsome today?
– Not(↘ ) bad(↗ ),
? 7) special occasion,
a,– Do you want to go there with me?
– No(↘ ↗ ),I don’t(↘ ↗ ),
b,– 去那吧，宝贝?
– 不嘛，我不去嘛, ↘ ↗
Part III
Practice
Feb,12,2001
VOA SPECIAL ENLIGSH
主讲教师, 荆州职业技术学院人文艺术系
朱瀚 Doherty
Answer questions,
? 1,-Are you a student?
-Yes,I am,
? 2,-Kate!
-Yes?
1,Definition of tone
Tones are pitch variations,which are
caused by the differing rates of vibration
of the vocal cords,
声调是由于声带振动的速率的不同而引起的
音高变化。
Tone can be divided into
the following 2 kinds,
? 1) level tone
? 2) moving tone
Moving tone can be
divided into the following
3 kinds,
1)Rising tone
2)Falling tone
3)Falling-rising tone
Language can generally
be divided into the
following 2 kinds,
1)Tone language
2)Intonation language
Chinese tones,
mā má mǎ mà
妈 麻 马 骂
English tones,
? Are you a student? ↗
? I am a teacher,↘
? Would you like a cup of tea,or a cup of
coffee? ↗ ↘
2,Definition of intonation
When pitch,stress and sound length
are tied to the sentence rather than the
word in isolation,they are collectively
known as intonation,
句子中除了孤立的单词之外，还被附加
了音高、重音和音长等因素，所有这些东
西统称为语调。
Part Ⅱ
Functions of
Intonation
1,Falling tone is used in the
following types of sentences,
? 1) Ordinary statements
a,She’s a very good actress,↘
b,He was here a moment ago,↘
c,This is John,He’s from America,↘
? 2) WH questions (special questions),
a,What did you think of the show? ↘
b,Which is your favourite subject? ↘
c,你拿的什么啊? ↘
d,你在干什么? (普通话 )
你干啥玩意儿? (东北话 ) ↘
你在搞么子? (沙市话 ) ↘
? 3) Imperative sentences
(strong commands)
a,Stand up! ↘
b,Be quiet! ↘
c,Out! ↘
? 4) Exclamatory sentences
a,What a beautiful day! ↘
b,How nice of him! ↘
c,Wow! What a beautiful girl over there!
↘
? 5) The final part of the alternative
questions,
a,Is she American(↗ ) or British? ↘
b,Which is yours(↘ ),the blue one(↗ ) or the
red one? ↘
c,How shall we go? (↘ ) By bus(↗ ),by
train(↗ ) or by plane? ↘
※ Both/All parts of the alternative questions
use falling tone in special situation,
e.g,你去还是不去？
? 6) The former part of the disjunctive questions,
a,He was there (↘ ),wasn’t he?
b,You didn’t go (↘ ),did you?
※ The falling tone is also used in the latter part
of the disjunctive questions when the speaker
is pretty confident that his listener will not
contradict,
a,The weather is fine,isn’t it? ↘
b,I was right,wasn’t I? ↘
? 7) Rhetorical questions,
These are questions which need not be
answered,since the answer is obvious,They
are like exclamations and often sound
impatient,
a,Are you satisfied? ↘ (You ought to be!)
b,Do you understand it now? ↘
(You ought to understand it now!)
c,Well,can I have the newspaper? ↘
(Give me the newspaper!)
? 8) When showing strong feeling or irony,
we use high-pitch falling tone,
a,What’s the matter? ↘
b,啊，他（ ↘ ）呀，够神气啊！
c,才毕业两年啊？真了不起！ ↘
? 9) Short questions used as responses,
a,– John’s on holiday,
– Is he? ↘
b,– I went to the theatre last night,
– Did you? ↘
2,Rising tone is used in the
following types of sentences,
? 1) Yes – no questions (general questions)
showing great doubt or uncertainty,
a,Are you quite sure? ↗
b,Did you notice anything wrong with it?
↗
c,Has my book been found? ↗
d,Have you met my sister before? ↗
? 2) Complete statements which are
intended as questions,
a,You like it? ↗
b,He’s definitely going? ↗
c,I must arrive there before seven? ↗
d,我真得把这吃完? ↗
? ３ ) The preceding alternatives in
alternative questions,
a,Was he from England(↗ ) or from
France?
b,Do you study French (↗ ) or German
(↗ ) or Russian?
c,你去丹麦 (↗ ),荷兰 (↗ )还是瑞士？
? ４ ) Tag questions of some disjunctive
questions,
a,You can swim,can’t you? ↗
b,You didn’t see him,did you? ↗
c,One of Jack’s friends is a bus driver,
isn’t he? ↗
? 5) Implication,
a,You will travel with Jack? ↗
b,听说陈文明当上市长了? ↗
? 6) Repetition - questions,
When you want the other person to repeat
some information,use the rising tone (usually
low) with the interrogative word as the nucleus,
a,– Pass me the newspaper,
– What did you say?↗
b,– Jane told me to do it,
– Who told you to do it? ↗
c,– John is fifty – two,
– What? How old did you say he was? ↗
? 7) Incomplete groups or enumerations,
a,I found the key(↗ ) and opened the
door,
b,He sat down by my side (↗ ),took
out a small piece of bread (↗ ) and
gave it to me,
c,I like football(↗ ),basketball(↗ ),
swimming(↗ ) and skating,
d,One(↗ ),two(↗ ),three(↗ ),four(↗ ),five,
? 8) Adverbials at the beginning of
sentences,
a,A moment later(↗ ),Newton came in,
b,When I arrived(↗ ),there was
nobody at home,
c,While we’re waiting(↗ ),let’s go and
have some thing to eat,
? 9) Polite requests,
a,Move along,please,↗
b,Do come again,↗
c,Take a seat,↗
※ An imperative sentence becomes a request
if the rising tone is used,
a,Open the window(↘ ),(command)
Open the window(↗ ),(request)
b,Come and get it,(↘ ),(command)
Come and get it,(↗ ),(request)
? 10) Tag questions after commands (in
fact a form of invitation),
a,Come over here,will you? ↗
b,Hold this for me,would you? ↗
c,Let’s go for a walk,shall we? ↗
? 11) Some statements which are intended
to be soothing or encouraging,
a,I won’t drive too fast,↗
(so don’t worry)
b,I’ll be ready in a minute,↗
c,– It’s going to be painful,isn’t it?
– No,I shan’t hurt you,↗
? 12) Some special questions which sound
more friendly and concerned,
a,When did you get back from holiday?
↗
b,What is your name? ↗
c,What’s the matter? ↗
3,Falling-rising tone is used
in the following types of
sentences,
? 1) Statements when contrast is implied,
a,On weekdays(↘ ↗ ) I work,but on
Sundays(↘ ↗ ) I don’t,
b,He(↘ ↗ ) doesn’t want it,But his
brother(↘ ↗ ) may,
? 2) Statements which imply reservation,
a,– I’d like to have a try,
– You ought to try(↘ ↗ ) (even if you are
not sure to succeed..)
b,– Can you play chess?
– Once(↘ ↗ ) I could,(But I haven’t
played for ages.)
? 3) Statements which show disagreement
or contradiction or correction of what
someone else has said,
a,– I can’t do it,
– You can(↘ ↗ ),
b,– Your method is useless,
– Mine(↘ ↗ ) may be,
? 4) Warnings,
a,You’ll miss your train,↘ ↗
b,Careful with that glass,↘ ↗
(You’ll drop it.)
? 5) This tone may be used to express
apology,
a,– Is Jane in?
– I’m sorry (↘ ↗ ),but she’s out,
b,– We’ve just had a group discussion,
– I’m sorry(↘ ↗ ) I was absent,
? 6) Hesitation,
a,– How do you like it?
– It is good(↘ ↗ ),
b,– Is Mr,Zhu handsome today?
– Not(↘ ) bad(↗ ),
? 7) special occasion,
a,– Do you want to go there with me?
– No(↘ ↗ ),I don’t(↘ ↗ ),
b,– 去那吧，宝贝?
– 不嘛，我不去嘛, ↘ ↗
Part III
Practice
Feb,12,2001
VOA SPECIAL ENLIGSH
